Office Organization to Change the Way You Do Business
Working environments can make a big difference to how well people are able to work and how productive they can be. You might not have given a lot of thought to your office beyond whether it should be completely open plan or having individual cubicles. However, it's worth thinking about the various elements that make up a working environment and how you can help to improve them. Details such as how you control the noise level or how spacious the office is can make a difference to how much work people do and how well they do it. You should consider the following things if you want to make your office more productive and improve your business.
Improve the Lighting
Lighting is an important factor when it comes to working. Too much light can cause eye strain and headaches, and be distracting to people who are trying to work. But too little light could also have people squinting, and perhaps make them feel sleepy too. Getting the lights right is hard, especially when different employees might have different preferences. You should try to maximize the natural light in the office, to begin with. It's preferable to artificial lighting, although you obviously can't rely on it all the time. If you need more light, you should try not to make it too harsh. Keep it on the softer side but make sure everyone has enough light to work by.
Clear Out More Space
A cluttered office is not going to be as productive as a neater one. Clutter can be distracting, and it can make the office unorganized. One thing you can do right away to clear some space is to get rid of your paper filing system. If you take things digital, you can make all your records and information secure and free up space in your office. If you use a service like Oasis scanning solutions, you can have easy access to all your digital files. You'll have more space to use, plus more time, as you won't have to go through filing cabinets all the time. There are other ways to clear up clutter and space-taking things. Giving each person some storage at their desk is helpful, and you can also encourage everyone to keep tidy workspaces.
Focus on Comfort
Everyone wants to feel comfortable when they're working. In an office, working often means sitting at a desk all day, which can take its toll. There are some things you can do to make sure that everyone in your office is comfortable throughout the day. Firstly, having the right chairs so that people feel comfortable sitting is important. They should have comfortable seats and supportive backs so that several hours sitting in them doesn't become uncomfortable. In addition to changing the furniture, you can also encourage people to stretch and take breaks. Comfort can also involve other elements, such as temperature. Keeping the office at a comfortable temperature for everyone can be tricky, but you can make sure your office dress code doesn't prevent people from wearing clothing that will make them more comfortable.
Choose Colors Carefully
The colors you use in the office could have an effect on how productive everyone is. Many businesses choose to have brand colors in the office, which can encourage people to work and feel passionate about the company. However, you might want to think about the psychology of different colors and what can help people to get into the right mood. For example, some people say that blue helps people to be more productive. It is often seen as a calming color. It's also important not to use too many bring colors in the office. Although they can help to improve the mood, you don't want them to be distracting.
Control the Noise Level
Another way to improve your business's office is to consider the noise level. This can tie into the comfort of the office, and can sometimes link to company culture too. Some small offices might be comfortable having the radio on or music playing. Others prefer to have complete silence apart from the sounds of people working. Most people agree that noise needs to be controlled so that people can work. One thing to consider is how much the general sounds of people working affect the whole office. If some people are having a discussion, does their conversation carry across the office? Finding some methods of preventing sound from traveling too much can be helpful.
Offer a Choice of Working Environments
Some businesses are reconsidering the open-plan office, believing it to be too distracting. However, it is becoming more popular to offer a few different types of working environment. Many businesses are beginning to have different areas for people to work individually or in groups, with environments depending on how people work best. Some people might like to be completely isolated to get on with their work. Others need to be near to their colleagues to work well and might want access to various tools, like whiteboards.
Breaks and Refreshments
Allowing your employees the time to have a break and refresh their minds and bodies is important if want your employees to be productive. So giving them somewhere they can step away from their work, instead of taking a break at their desk, is a good idea. Many businesses have refreshment areas, from small kitchens and lounges to juice bars where people can make themselves a drink. Even just a water cooler gives people somewhere to stand, have a drink and chat to others.
Refresh the Space
In addition to allowing people to refresh themselves, bring some freshness into the office too. There are lots of ways to do this, from introducing potted plants to letting in natural light. Perhaps you might even open a window now and then, or have some refreshing scents circulating through the office. If the sun isn't bothering anyone, keep blinds and curtains away from the windows.
Making changes to your office can improve the way you do business. Everyone can be more productive and get more work done.
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